The Warrior Prince
by Sluggy
Summary: Duty. Honor. Pride. Innocence lost in a flurry of greed, power, and revenge... Just another day on Vejiitasei...
1. Two Legendary Powers...

**The Warrior Prince**

Chapter One

A dark figure leaned against a colored pane of the elaborate stained-glass window, casting a long shadow on the marble floor. It was nearing evening in the Capitol, though the orange haze that was the sky made it difficult to determine an exact time. Heavy footsteps could be heard entering the room, but the silhouetted young man paid no notice and continued his watch over his birthright.

"Brat!" Vejiita Ou strode across the expanse hastily, yet dignified. "Why did you not attend the Council meeting? It is your duty as Heir to learn the ways of office. I will not have some lazy, stubborn, worthless _baka_, even if he IS my son, succeed me as King! I will _not_ accept failure from my men, and ESPECIALLY not from you!"

The Prince turned from the window slowly and glanced at his father. "Tell me, father...Why should I care what you will or will not accept? You know full well that I could simply kill you and take my birthright in a mere instant. The only reason I have not done so thus far is because I do not WISH to rule this damned mudball. If you do not want your 'worthless' son on the throne, then I suggest you had better shut your mouth and leave before I do something we shall both regret." Giving his father an icy stare and a slight smirk, the Prince once more turned his gaze to the Capitol below.

Vejiita Ou glared at his son's effrontery, yet did not speak. Whether he wanted to admit it or not, the Prince was correct. He could no longer beat his son in a contest of strength, and it seemed that the Heir was also gaining the upper hand in a contest of wills. Stifling a sigh, the King turned on his heel and walked to the large stone doors that marked the entrance to the Great Hall. Pausing, the King put a hand on one of the massive doors and turned his head slightly. *It is getting late...we will speak of the situation tomorrow…* thought the King to his son. But if the Prince was even listening to his father's attempt at direct telepathy, the King could not tell. Waiting for a response, be it a haughty laugh or a simple grunt, Vejiita Ou did not care. The Prince just stood there silently, staring out the window in deep contemplation. The King did not wish to aggravate the situation further, so despite his curiosity, he decided to leave.

Sensing his father gone, Vejiita glanced towards the great doors where Palace Guards stood watch. "Hmph. Idiots...they cannot _hope_ to protect me from anything strong enough to cause me harm," the Prince mused. He had felt the King's probe into his mind, but after so many years, Vejiita had learned to put up barriers to block such things. First taught to him by his trainers so that he could avoid disruptions in battle and the compromising of his moves in advance, the skill had become invaluable of late with all of his father's recent "discussions". The Prince glanced back to the window once more before heading to his private chambers. 'Only three more days…' thought the Heir to himself. 'Three more days until I leave this planet for good.'

*******

"Preparations have been finalized, Lord Freeza," spoke a prostrate, blue-skinned figure from the center of the spaceship's largest room. Zarbon glanced up briefly to notice that Freeza was not, it seemed, paying him any attention. Swirling a glass of red wine in his hand, the pale creature looked absolutely mesmerized by it. But Zarbon knew better. Turning his gaze back to the floor, he continued, "I have been informed that it will be approximately 72 hours before we are scheduled to enter Vejiitasei's orbit. Are there any further orders, sir?"

Looking over his glass to the kneeling figure before him, Freeza smiled. He truly enjoyed watching his subjects cower at his presence. Surely, Freeza's strength was overwhelming, not yet had he found a being superior, but he prided himself more on his power of intimidation. For years, he hadn't had to lift a finger against an enemy. If a world did not succumb to his rule, he would send out an order for its destruction. It was that simple. Obey or die. He would still train to keep sharp, but he dared not spar anyone. Too many times over the years he had found it necessary to replace sparring partners who could, literally, not live up to the challenge. Freeza began to walk past his aide. "Tell the men to take the day off. There will be much work in the near future." As he reached the door to the ship's hall, he spoke over his shoulder to the still-kneeling Zarbon, "One more thing. Get Ginyuu on the communicator and have it transferred to my quarters at once."

"Sir," asked Zarbon, "you don't intend to _fight_ the Saiyajins, do you?" The various guards and personnel nearby noticeably tensed, and a general unease could be felt throughout the room.

"Are you questioning me, Zarbon? Surelyone who has been in my service for such a long time would know better than to second-guess my decisions." Freeza smiled to himself as he wondered what kind of drivel Zarbon would come up with _this_ time to explain his impertinence. Hearing his slightly muffled stammering, Freeza could tell Zarbon was still prostrate on the floor behind him without needing to turn around. 'I guess I'll have to let these _others_ know the price of questioning my decisions,' he thought. 'Then at least I won't have to promote that dolt, Dodoria, to Zarbon's position.' Pointing a finger behind him, Freeza fired a ki blast that barely passed over his aide's green locks, hitting a technician in the abdomen, disintegrating the bystander before he knew he had been hit. Freeza heard a few quickly repressed yelps and more than a few gasps as his lesson hit home. Never turning from the doorway, Freeza called over his shoulder, "Zarbon, it's a miracle you aren't bald yet," and walked out.

*******


	2. A Deal with the Devil...

Chapter Two

Prince Vejiita nodded to the courtiers as he walked to his chambers. Upon entering, he saw the transmission light from his communication screen flashing in the darkness of the room. Rolling his eyes, the young man ignored its beckoning and proceeded to his bedroom. Though he was still young, Vejiita was as much of an adult as any Saiyajin. His furrowed brow and well-practiced glare, as well as his strong build, though small, belied his 12 years of age. His first kill came at the age of 3, when one of his childhood tantrums had gotten out of hand. Most Saiyajin children were sent off- world when they were babies, but the future of the royal line was too important to risk even the _slightest_ possibility of an accident. When Vejiita found out that one of his caretakers had let him win at a game they were playing, simply because he was a child, Vejiita screamed in rage. Unknowing how to handle the boy, his caretaker tried to comfort Vejiita, only to be met with a fiery blast to the face. By the time the Palace Guards found him, Vejiita was out cold from exhaustion and surrounded by the ashes of three other attendants. Only one of them had survived to tell the guards what had happened, and soon it was decided that the Prince did not need a nanny, but a trainer. Word quickly spread of the Heir's natural fighting prowess, as did the speculation that the Legendary Super Saiyajin was now living among them. In a short time, Vejiita had surpassed all who were hired to train him, killing those of whom he no longer had any use.

Currently, the duty of training the Prince fell upon Nappa, Commander in Chief of the Saiyajin Armed Forces. Sure, Nappa was an ugly brute with a temper to match, but Vejiita felt he was still useful. There was nobody else Vejiita liked to beat to a pulp more than the pompous Elite, and though he would never admit as much, the Prince often came away from their sparring matches having learned something. But while this kept the Commander alive, the fact was that there were no longer any challenges for the Heir on Vejiitasei. He knew his progress was stagnating, and by the disappointment in his father's eyes, he could tell that the King noticed this, too. It had been over a millennia since the previous Super Saiyajin destroyed himself and the planet he was on in a glorious display of power. If attained and controlled, legend had it the power of the Super Saiyajin was the strongest in the entire universe. The House of Vejiitasei was said to be directly descended from the all-powerful being, and for years, the Saiyajin people had eagerly watched the royalty in hopes of catching a glimpse of the next Super Saiyajin. With the birth of the Prince, the public once again questioned if this would be the generation that saw the rise of the Legend. And with Vejiita's mastery of battle tactics and unparalleled strength and determination at such a young age, the public began to believe the time had finally come. Vejiita himself knew better. He was nowhere close to the power of the Super Saiyajin, for the Legend was the strongest being in the universe, and the Prince knew there were others out there still stronger than himself. Vejiita needed to find them. He needed to _prove_ that he was the best, that he was indeed the _Legend_.

Vejiita walked past his bed to the wardrobe closet and removed the heavy royal cloak he was forced to wear at official functions…which meant, basically, any time he wasn't training, bathing, or sleeping. Throwing the pristine white cape to the floor and kicking it into a wrinkled pile, Vejiita turned to examine himself in the mirror. Grabbing his chin, he turned his head from side to side and frowned. He really _did_ look like his father. All that was needed was that damned goatee and a few more inches in height and he could be the King's clone. His scowl drew deeper as he stripped off the rest of his royal garb, leaving him in only a black bodysuit. Vejiita smirked. This was what he _really_ was. Vejiita was a warrior. He did not need airs and titles to prove his worth. Vejiita had power…greater power than any Saiyajin…greater power than his father. As he removed the bodysuit, he examined an old scar across his chest. Vejiita had barely been five years old when he received that mark. Put there by the King, it served Vejiita as a reminder that he was not perfect and could always improve. If he wanted to avoid further reminders of his inferiority, he would _have_ to improve. Glancing in the mirror once more, Vejiita smirked as he headed to his private bath to take a shower.

*******

"I'm sorry, Lord Freeza, but he doesn't appear to be responding. We've left him numerous messages through the communications officer, but -," the lieutenant's explanation was cut off before he could finish, without even a glance from the tyrant. Freeza's subjects quickly attended to the officer's charred remains.

"I will not tolerate excuses," Freeza pronounced to those left on the bridge. Turning to the lieutenant's fearful replacement, Freeza smiled and quietly said, "See to it that you do not fail. I want the King's brat…on the line…_now_." The officer quickly nodded, turned to the console, and started tapping buttons wildly.

*******

Vejiita turned the water in his shower onto its highest setting. Steam began to pour throughout the room, leaving tiny water droplets in its wake. The Prince sighed. It had been a physically as well as mentally draining day. Pushing himself to the limit with his rigorous training schedule combined with his official duties, not to mention the verbal sparring matches with his father and Nappa, Vejiita needed desperately to relax. Closing his eyes, he breathed in the soothing mist and stepped into the cascading water, letting it fall over his aching muscles, soothing away the stresses of the day. Just as he felt some of the tension leave him, he heard it. The communication screen. Tensing up again, he tried to ignore its incessant beeping, but found it to be impossible. Growling, Vejiita turned off the water, got out of the shower, and went to see who would dare bother him now. Warning the machinery that it had better not be Nappa again, Vejiita glared angrily at the screen as he waited for the transmission to be patched through. Seeing who was actually on the other side, he internally flinched, though his face remained composed.

"Ah, the young Prince shows himself at last," quipped Freeza, "…and shows quite a bit at that…" The pale visage looked Vejiita over with a hint of rebuke. Confused, the Heir raised an eyebrow. "A little scrawny yet, but we'll be sure to fix that." Finally coming to his senses to realize that he had just come from the shower, Vejiita silently ridiculed himself for not putting on any clothing, or drying off for that matter, before answering the call. Feeling himself flush a little, the Prince looked down at the now-dripping console.

"What can I do for you, Freeza?" asked the Prince in his most diplomatic tone when he had regained enough of his composure to look him directly in the face.

"Our ship is making good time, and we should be there a bit sooner than scheduled, Prince Vejiita. You can be expecting our arrival at 15:34 hours tomorrow." The alien's thin, black lips offset his pallor, creating a disturbing contrast. The Prince frowned.

"Though you are coming sooner than expected, I cannot leave any earlier than previously discussed. My apologies," stated the Heir in his most respectful and dignified manner. He stood there, unmoving, as he waited for Freeza's response.

"No matter, boy. My men and I shall tour the Capitol until the scheduled time, then. Departure will remain as planned." Freeza grinned as Vejiita audibly let out the breath he was holding. Then a look of concern crossed the Prince's features.

"The Capitol _is_ lovely this time of year, but I do not recommend a tour. Everyone with a scouter within 100 miles will know you're here, including my fa - the King," the Prince corrected himself. "I wonder if having the entire Saiyajin race knowing you're in their space is a good idea, sir."

"Not to worry, my boy. I don't plan on starting any trouble with your people. Only one attendant shall accompany me, then. Less distraction to the general populace, don't you think?" asked Freeza with a smirk.

Knowing that Freeza would stand out whereverhe was situated, no matter how many attendants he had, Vejiita nodded wearily. If he argued too much with the alien, the deal might never happen. And the _last_ thing Vejiita wanted to do was to be found guilty of breach-of-contract with Freeza. "Fine, then. One guard. Until tomorrow…" Vejiita agreed as the screen went blank. Giving an exhausted sigh of relief, Vejiita stumbled back to his bedroom, still dripping wet, and fell onto the soft, downy sheets of his bed. His last conscious thoughts being of how his father thought he knew nothing of diplomacy.

*******


	3. Secrets revealed...

Chapter 3

"Attention, unidentified vessel. You are now entering Saiyajin space. State your authorization and clearance codes or prepare to be escorted to neutral territory," drawled the tired communications officer. After 13 hours out of his 16-hour shift had been spent on little more than relaying coded messages to members of the royal family, the lieutenant wanted nothing more than his workday to be over. And as common as unidentified vessels _were_ in the brokerage business, what with all the new influx of potential buyers they had been getting, the officer was less than enthusiastic to deal with more overzealous entrepreneurs and wayward refugees. A pale blue face materialized on the communications screen before him.

"I believe you already _have_ our clearance codes, lieutenant," spoke Zarbon in a polite, yet mocking tone. Upon looking at the creature's visage, the officer froze in shock. The green-haired alien only raised an eyebrow and smirked at the Saiyajin.

"Y-y-yes…it seems that we do, sir. I apologize for the inconvenience." The lieutenant thought he heard a light chuckling from behind Zarbon as he watched the screen before him go blank. Eyes still wide from the encounter, the officer turned to his comrade.

"What was that about, Itsu?" asked the other Saiyajin.

"I don't know, Dareka…but there is definitely something going on here. I'm going to inform the Commander of the situation. You should find General Bardock. Tell him to be wary. Don't instigate panic, though…we still don't know where this is heading..."

"Where _what_ is heading, Itsu?

"That person on the com just now was Freeza's lackey, Dareka," explained the nervous communications officer. "Why he's here, I don't know. It can't all be coincidence…the classified messages, and now this… Go find General Bardock, Dareka. I'll tell the Commander. Hopefully he'll already know the situation and just throw me into a wall for impertinence, but I have a bad feeling about this…"

*******

"By now all of Vejiitasei knows you're coming, Lord Freeza," informed Zarbon.

"It is of no consequence, warrior. Besides, we're here for _business_, not pleasure." The alien's thin lips creased into a smile as he watched the planet come into view from the ship's window. "Make sure his quarters are prepared. We don't want the Heir to be uncomfortable during his journey, now do we? You are dismissed, Zarbon."

"Sir." Zarbon turned to step out of the room. The Saiyajins were notorious for their bad tempers and hatred of other species. This was quite helpful when committing genocide in order to sell a profitable planet, but Zarbon couldn't help but wonder how the Saiyajins would react to two aliens stepping foot on their homeworld and leaving with their future king. Freeza was very powerful, but Zarbon knew that even _he_ could be vulnerable to an organized attack by a powerful race in itself that outnumbered him a million-to-one. And now that it seemed Freeza was going to be staying longer than anticipated, the monkey-tailed freaks had more than enough time to _get_ organized. "And _I _get to be his backup," mused the aide to himself. "Wonderful." Tucking a wayward strand of hair back behind his ear, Zarbon walked down the hall to make sure the Prince's chambers were in order.

*******

"You're not blocking, brat!" exclaimed the Saiyajin Commander as he laid a punch directly into the royal nose of Prince Vejiita. The Prince obviously wasn't paying attention to him. Whether that was due to something else being on the Heir's mind, or his simple lack of respect for his teacher, Nappa didn't care. Whatever the boy's problem was, Nappa was getting through blocks that were too weak to stop a third-class Saiyajin, let alone an Elite like himself. "I've seen better technique from the Junior Trainees in the mess hall!"

Wiping a trickle of blood from his face, the Prince sneered at his trainer. "Do not presume to address me with such disrespect, Nappa! I am your Prince, and I will not tolerate your insolence!" The Heir winced as he spat out the words. The nose was probably broken, but it wasn't anything a couple minutes in the regeneration tank could not fix.

"You may be my Prince, little Vejiita, but the _King_ pays me to treat you like the brat you are," Nappa stated with a smirk. Maybe this would get the boy riled up enough to fight back or, at least, pay attention. The Prince always seemed a tad edgier whenever someone mentioned anything about his father. Readying himself in a defensive stance, Nappa waited for the boy's retaliation. When it did not come, he found himself a bit alarmed. Vejiita was not even looking at him. Instead, he was examining the rust-colored smear on his bloodstained glove. The stern expression on the Prince's features was absolutely frightening. Nappa had to remind himself that he was, indeed, with the King's brat and not the King himself. He had never known the Heir to be vain, or the sight of one's own blood to be so interesting. Nappa began to wonder if he had just outlived his usefulness. Tempting fate, he spoke, "Prince Vejiita…"

"What is it, lieutenant?" asked Vejiita as he twisted his head towards the entrance to the training room. Nappa stared, openmouthed, at the Prince as he seemed to glare straight through him. Turning around to the entrance behind him as well, Nappa saw Lieutenant Itsu at attention in the doorway. Dumbfounded, wondering how long the lieutenant had been standing there, Nappa composed himself and strode towards the officer. Itsu looked past Nappa at the Heir and quickly turned his attention back to the Commander.

"I have important news from Communications Outpost 297, Commander," said Itsu, glancing once more towards the Prince.

"Well, out with it, baka!" bellowed the Saiyajin. In an instant, Vejiita was behind his trainer, gripping one of the massive arms and twisting it in a way that Nappa thought would surely break it at any moment. Doubling over in pain and dropping to a knee, Nappa cursed the Prince, "Kuso! What the hell is wrong with you, brat?!" Turning his head to survey his attacker, Nappa was surprised to see the normally tense, scowling features completely calm and controlled. The obsidian eyes, on the other hand, were anything but calm. He could sense rage, pain, and something he had never seen before in those eyes - fear. Through all the years he had known the Prince, Nappa never knew the Prince to be afraid of anything. If he lost a battle, it was simply due to inexperience or overconfidence, never to fear. Even when he was a small child and no match for the King, Vejiita would challenge him nonetheless. Something was wrong. Terribly wrong. "Vejiita…"

Twisting the Commander's arm further and receiving a choked gasp, Vejiita smirked as he lowered his voice to just above a whisper, "When will you ever learn your place, Nappa? I believe that _I_ was speaking to Lieutenant Itsu. Tsk. Such barbaric manners coming from an Elite…I expect better from my Commander in Chief." With that, Vejiita placed a boot in the small of Nappa's back and his other arm around the Commander's throat. Kicking hard, the Prince neatly broke the other Saiyajin's spine, paralyzing him from the chest down. Tossing his body off to the side of the training room, Vejiita turned his attention to the lieutenant. "You were saying?"

Lieutenant Itsu shifted nervously, glancing at the crumpled heap against the wall that was Nappa. "Actually, the message _was_ for the Commander, my Prince." Sensing that his answer was inadequate, Itsu continued. "I didn't mean to interrupt your training, my Prince, but a matter has arisen that demands the Commander's attention. It is of utmost importance."

"Well, Nappa is obviously not in any condition to handle your 'matter of importance'. If it is so imperative that you must interfere with my training, I believe that I have the right to know what is going on even more than he does," stated the Prince with a hint of warning.

After glancing once more at the broken body of the Commander, Itsu decided that giving the information to the Heir was more important than losing his life to protocol. After all, both the Prince and the Commander were high-ranking enough to relay the information to the King, and that was his primary motivation for notifying the Commander in the first place. "Very well, my Prince. I am here to inform you that King Kold's son, Freeza, has entered Saiyajin space and is heading towards Vejiitasei. Based on calculations, his ship should reach us by 15:30 hours, sir."

Prince Vejiita folded his arms, closed his eyes and nodded, as if deep in thought. "I see. Who else knows of the situation?"

"I informed my comrade, Dareka, to explain the situation to General Bardock in a way not to instigate panic, sir. Other than that, only the inhabitants of this room, my Prince."

Nappa watched the conversation take place from his spot on the floor. He had managed to prop his head up against the training room wall, but was in too much shock to speak. Had he heard correctly? Freeza was coming? Whatever for? Had the Prince known? Is that why he was acting so strangely? He had to find out what was going on. He had to notify the King.

After receiving no response from the Prince, who was still deep in his own thoughts, Itsu continued with a hint of questioning in his voice. "I trust you know what to do with this information, my Prince…"

Opening his eyes, the Prince stated, his voice ice, "Of course I do." Vejiita then proceeded to grab Itsu's armor with one gloved hand and punch a hole through it with the other, straight into his chest. A soft glow surrounded his fist, as the officer cried out in agony at Vejiita's slow torture. Eventually, all that remained of the lieutenant was the broken white armor that the Heir had seized. The Prince chuckled to himself. "You are dismissed, Lieutenant Itsu."

Nappa, dazed from pain and the shock of the preceding events, shouted at the Prince, "What do you think you're doing?! Lieutenant Itsu was our top communications officer for thirty years, brat!"

"'_Was_' is correct, Commander," the Prince smiled to himself as he dropped the armor and brushed off his gloves. Vejiita quietly walked over to the large Saiyajin and bent over into his field of vision. "It's a shame his retirement had to come so early. I bet he would have had some fine years left in him, however, I could not let his information reach the ears of the King."

"What?! Why the hell…" Nappa stopped himself, synapses firing. "You _did_ know about this, didn't you?"

"Of course I did, warrior. I _invited_ him." Prince Vejiita smirked as he stood over his trainer, playfully tapping the toe of his boot against Nappa's leg.

"I don't know what kind of game you think you're playing, boy, but the King will surely find out about this when that pasty lizard sets foot on his planet!" Vejiita just smiled at Nappa and kicked his leg…hard. Though he could no longer feel the limb, the Saiyajin could still hear the familiar, sickening crack as the bone buckled under the force. In reflex, Nappa screamed.

"Oh, I know he will, warrior. But by the time he does, it will be too late for him to do anything about it," Vejiita calmly stated, his dark eyes sparkling. "In a little less than two days, nothing will matter. General Bardock only has authority over the off-world troops, and by what Itsu said, I doubt that he would be attempting to notify the King anytime soon…would not want to raise a panic now, would we? Besides, as far as Bardock knows, the King has already _been_ informed by his Commander in Chief."

"You conniving, little -," Nappa's response cut short as Vejiita's knee drove into his midsection, knocking the breath out of his lungs.

"You really must learn some respect for your Prince, warrior. I cannot have my subjects constantly insulting me." Nappa raised his head enough to look Vejiita in the eye. "I cannot have them tattling on me, either," said Vejiita with an unamused smirk. The Heir raised a hand over his head and brought it down against the larger Saiyajin's neck. Nappa felt a sharp pain and then knew no more.

*******

"So we are agreed, then?" asked a thin, almost feminine voice from the communication screen.

"Yes. The Heir will undergo training in your military for two years or until we can find an adequate replacement on Vejiitasei. In return, we shall provide you with any new technology acquired in our purgings, and a percentage of the profits obtained in a resale."

"Excellent. I hope you know what you're getting him into, Vejiita. He may not survive two whole years. Maybe you had better start your search for a replacement now."

"He can handle it. Besides, he has been looking for a challenge for a while. Frankly, I'm surprised he hasn't contacted you himself."

"You seem so confident. What makes you think he will fare better where so many others have failed?"

"He is a Saiyajin warrior and my son, Freeza. He _will_ be the Super Saiyajin."

*******


	4. Arrival...

Chapter Four

Prince Vejiita flung his trainer's body to the technicians in the infirmary. The medics looked at each other tentatively, then at the Heir. His usual scowl was laced with unease, causing them to fear the worst for the large Saiyajin. One of the braver technicians bent down to check the vitals on Nappa. "He's alive, my Prince," the medic informed Vejiita, hoping to reassure him that this latest beating would not be the Commander's last.

"Of course he's alive, you fool! Get him in a regeneration tank! I expect him to be fully functional by tomorrow!" the Prince barked his orders to the medical staff. The infirmary techs were used to such treatment from the Heir. The many trainers Vejiita went through made certain of that. Whenever they happened to be _unable_ to resuscitate one of his sparring partners, however, the Prince would make sure to add a medic to the body count. The staff was, needless to say, more than grateful for Nappa's durability.

Looking on as his trainer was carefully stripped and loaded into the tank, Vejiita sighed. It would not be much longer. Soon, Freeza would be on Vejiitasei. Soon, Freeza would be on _his_ planet. Vejiita knew that the tyrant had set foot on Vejiitasei before to sign some sort of mutual non-aggression treaty with his father, but that was before his time. All of what the Prince knew about Freeza had come from either the Saiyajin troops or refugees from planets Freeza had "acquired". And from what Vejiita learned, nobody had ever challenged him and lived. Vejiita also learned that there were no better trainers to be found in the universe than those working under Freeza. This knowledge was most useful to the Prince. In one creature, he had found his challenge as well as the means to attain his goal. After Vejiita killed the pasty, white…thing, there would be none to stand in his way._ He_ would be the strongest in the universe. He would be the Super Saiyajin. But since he was nowhere near his goal just yet, Vejiita was quite nervous at Freeza's imminent arrival. Checking the timepiece on the wall, Vejiita removed the scouter from his ear and began to calibrate it lest Freeza decided to have some "fun" when he arrived.

"Expecting some powerful company, my Prince?" Vejiita glanced up from his work into the face of…of…Who the hell was he looking at, anyway?

"Hmph. How do you know I'm not setting it for myself?" he asked the tall soldier.

"Though your power is great, your Highness, it is not yet high enough to overload a scouter of that caliber," stated the Saiyajin matter-of-factly.

The Prince just turned his nose up towards the soldier. Surely this man was not _much _older than himself, yet he did not remember seeing anyone with such an unruly mane before. Saiyajin hair was wild by nature, but rarely did it get _this_ long. The Prince mused that this man must belong to the off-world troops. Looking at the warrior through his newly calibrated scouter, Vejiita assessed he was a First Class soldier. "Ah. I see they're letting **children** into the military."

"I meant no disrespect, sir."

"Good thing." The Prince pointed to the floating mass of flesh in the regeneration tank that used to resemble his sensei. "Maybe _you_ could teach proper decorum to the Commander. His mouth could afford to learn some restraint." Vejiita continued to consider the man before him. Lighter features, older make of armor…yes…this was definitely an off-world soldier. Red bands around the left thigh and bicep…possibly belonging to General Bardock's squadron. That was it…

The larger Saiyajin looked over to the tank that contained Nappa. "I would gladly attempt to teach the Commander some manners, my Prince, but it looks like he's going to be in there for a while."

"He will be out by tomorrow," stated the Prince, walking towards the infirmary exit.

"Excuse me? He's not going to be in any condition to come out of the tank that soon…"

Prince Vejiita turned back to face the warrior. "He will be out by tomorrow." Smirking, the Heir continued to walk to the room's entrance. Stopping just in the doorframe, the young man called over his shoulder, "I expect you to be here to keep him and his mouth in check and out of my way, warrior. Hopefully I knocked some sense into him that he will actually _retain_ when he leaves the tank this time. If not…heh…I would not want to be you, Radditz."

*******

"We're coming up on the Capitol, Lord Freeza," noted the tall, blue alien as Freeza's shuttle made its way to the landing dock near the palace reserved for leaders and dignitaries. "It shouldn't take much longer…maybe ten minutes at most."

"Excellent, Zarbon. Keep me informed."

"Lord Freeza…what shall we be expecting upon our arrival?"

"Patience, Zarbon, patience. It is most difficult to say how the Saiyajins will react to us. It's been…what…almost fifteen years since anyone of our delegation has visited Vejiitasei. They are a warrior race, Zarbon, and incredibly dense. I suspect that most of them are preparing to battle as we speak, based on our ki alone. Little do they care that only _two_ people have come down to their pitiful little planet. The Saiyajin thought process is very simple: anything stronger is a threat. It's doubtful that diplomacy has even crossed their minds. Heh…it's not like they could even find us, anyway. I bet you could have overloaded their scouters _alone_, Zarbon."

"Of course, Lord Freeza. The landing dock is in view."

"Very good. Set us down near the East Wing. Our host will meet us there."

*******

"My Prince!" heard Vejiita from behind him as he walked down the corridor to the main section of the palace. Vejiita continued walking. He did not have time for this. The difficulty that was Nappa had already held him up far longer than expected and Freeza was due to land any time now. Footsteps could be heard quickening their pace as the guard hurried after Vejiita. "My Prince!"

Vejiita stopped. "What is it, warrior? I am busy!" he snapped.

"I have a message from the King, my Prince," stated the burly Saiyajin.

Vejiita rolled his eyes. The King. If it wasn't about protocol or etiquette, it was about how much of a worthless brat he was. Vejiita had grown tired of his father long ago. The only reason he hadn't killed him already was because he did not want to be King. His father took the throne from _his_ father when he had proven to be the best on the planet. Vejiita did not want to stop there. If he had, he would have been King when he turned eight years old. No, Vejiita would take over as King when he was the best in the universe. Then none could make him sign treaties. None could force his hand. None could hold any power over him, and he would do as he pleased. "I do not care what your message is, baka! I have places to be! Now get out of here before I kill you!"

The guard stepped in front of the Prince. "I'm sorry Prince Vejiita, but I'm only following my orders, and they come directly from the King."

"I do not care _where_ they come from, soldier! I especially do not care what my father has to say! _I_ am telling you that you are holding me up from my duties, and _I_ am the one who will kill you to get to them. If you value your life, I suggest that you get out of my way immediately!"

"I would be honored to be killed by you, my Prince, but I cannot let you pass without delivering the King's message." The guard was defiant. According to Vejiita's scouter, Freeza's shuttle was on final approach. Even if he _flew_ to the East Wing he'd barely make it on time. Vejiita could not imagine what Freeza would discuss with his father if he met with the King before himself.

"Fine! Kuso! What is it? Make it fast!"

"The King wishes for you to meet him at the East Wing landing dock. Diplomats from King Kold are due to be arriving shortly, and the King wishes you there to greet them as well."

Vejiita stood there for a moment, stunned. How had his father known? Of course! How else could they get landing clearance for the East Dock? Vejiita cursed his ignorance, and then his tardiness.

"Prince Vejiita?"

In a fit of rage, the Heir held a palm up to the face of the guard and disintegrated the man's head as well as most of the unshielded hallway behind him. Blinking through the dust, the Prince gave a short growl and raced through what was left of the corridor towards the East Wing.

*******

The King watched from an alcove of the East Wing as Freeza's round shuttle touched down on the landing platform. As the shuttle's door opened, Vejiita Ou wondered where his son could be. Even if the message had not gotten to him, surely the power reading on the Prince's scouter should have tipped him off that there was _something_ here of interest. The King sighed. Typical. The Prince just did not care about anything. The planet could blow up around him and Vejiita probably would not even flinch. He hoped that training under Freeza might put the Heir's priorities in order…not that he knew what Vejiita's priorities were, anyway. The last few months had been especially bad. Rarely did they communicate with each other, but lately what communication there _was _often ended in a shouting match. The only thing that seemed to matter to the Prince was domination. For years, Vejiita had dominated over the planet, even though he was not the ruler of it. Well, soon Vejiita would realize that his power was nothing compared to some races outside the Saiyajin Empire. Then maybe he'd think about the consequences of his actions. The King was not about to let a boorish child become the ruler of _his_ planet.

"King Vejiita. It's been a long time," stated the short alien as he walked over to Vejiita Ou. "This is my assistant, Zarbon. He will be accompanying me for the duration of my visit. I do apologize for any inconveniences our arrival may have caused. My father is prepared to replace any scouters that may have been damaged."

"Not to worry, Freeza. I trust your trip went well. Good to meet you, Zarbon. Please, this way." The group made its way inside the palace. "I apologize that my son wasn't here to greet you, Freeza. I hope that this doesn't remain a common occurrence."

"Oh, it won't. If there's one thing I demand from my troops it's punctuality, isn't that right, Zarbon?" asked the alien to the aide at his side.

"Yes, Lord Freeza."

Vejiita Ou paused. "I have not been able to discuss the situation with the Prince as of yet. There have been…difficulties. He will probably be uncertain as how to react to your presence, as he considers himself a "warrior". I would not put it past him to challenge you. If he does, all I ask is that he is not killed. Do whatever else you feel is necessary for his training."

Freeza glanced at the King and gave a slight shrug. "While I can tell you that _I _will not kill him, I cannot guarantee his safety. Many of our missions involve species with power higher than that of the Saiyajins, and these missions are regarded as training for even a soldier of the lowest class under my command. Perhaps you should send a guard with him to serve as protection."

"No guards on Vejiitasei could protect him from anything strong enough to harm him, Freeza. But I shall send along the Commander. Vejiita is familiar with him and I'm sure that Nappa could help him practice battle tactics if nothing else. That alone should considerably help his chances. Is that satisfactory?"

"Yes, King Vejiita. I have plenty of room on my ship for an extra passenger. Zarbon, inform the ship that we will be housing another guest. Tell them to make the necessary preparations."

"Yes, sir," obeyed Zarbon. As the tall alien walked back to the hangar where the shuttle was docked, King Vejiita motioned Freeza to the side.

"I do not believe that the Prince will take too kindly to our arrangement, Freeza. Lately, anything involving myself or my ideas he has regarded as unimportant. His selfishness and arrogance are growing greater every day, and I fear this will lead to the downfall of Vejiitasei. Needless to say, I have kept all details of this matter out of the public eye. There is no need for Vejiita to be plagued with the hatred of his own people, especially at his age. I hope that training under you will provide him some much needed perspective and humility. I want what is best for my people, Freeza, as well as my son."

Freeza regarded the King with a smirk. "Vejiita, perhaps it would be better if _I_ were to tell the Prince about the arrangement. I could give the idea a flavor that would surely whet his appetite enough to agree to it. He wouldn't have to know that it was your plan in the first place. I could tell him that he has been _chosen_ to train under my tutelage as one of the greatest fighters in the universe. Since you Saiyajins appreciate power so much, I imagine that such an offer would not be taken for granted."

"Yes, perhaps it would be better if you told him…speaking of…"

A large crash sounded as the Prince flew into the room and took out an ornate sculpture in his wake. The Heir grimaced briefly as he saw his father look at the wreckage he had caused. By the time the King turned to face his son again, Prince Vejiita's face was once again stone. The Prince regarded his father coolly, and then glanced at Freeza with a hint of a mocking tone to his face.

"Nice of you to join us, boy," stated the King. "Vejiita, this is King Kold's son Freeza. He is on a diplomatic assignment here and will be staying in the palace for a while with his assistant, Zarbon. I trust you will give them due respect as well as show them around the area. Now, if you will excuse me…" The King gave a knowing glance to Freeza and walked towards the foyer of the palace.

*******

Prince Vejiita walked over to the small creature. Surely _this_ was not Freeza. Vejiita had never seen the alien in person, but had expected more from the little horned being. He himself looked stronger than the alien, and by Saiyajin standards, Vejiita's physical presence left much to be desired. Though not customary, and especially not polite, Vejiita tapped the side of his scouter in hopes of getting a reading on his new foe. Freeza looked the Prince over, gave a small snort, and smiled directly into the face of the arrogant Heir. Vejiita's eyes grew wide as he looked through the red lens at the numbers registering on the glass. "Masaka…"

"Lord Freeza, the preparations have been made," spoke Zarbon to his master.

"Very good," replied Freeza with a touch of amusement. Prince Vejiita just gaped in awe of the power emanating from the creature before him. He did not even notice the other alien had entered the room. Zarbon tapped on the Prince's shoulder.

"**GAH!" **exclaimed Vejiita as he fell backwards from the start. Wide-eyed, he looked to the being that had surprised him. With a wry smile, Zarbon looked down at him and offered a hand. Shrugging off the help, Vejiita stood back up and removed his scouter.

"You know that's not very nice, Prince Vejiita. Lord Freeza is a guest here. It's not polite to go along assessing his ki without his permission," taunted an amused Zarbon.

"Hmph. I was just making sure this _was_ Freeza, soldier," explained the Prince.

"And what is your conclusion, boy?" asked the small alien. Freeza smiled as Vejiita thought of the proper thing to say.

"My conclusion is that you are who you say, my Lord. Now, if you and your aide will follow me…" Vejiita led the two aliens down the corridors of the palace towards the diplomat quarters. After a few minutes of silence, Vejiita had composed himself enough to speak again. "May I ask you Lord Freeza, of what you talked about with my father?"

"We are discussing trade negotiations with your father, Vejiita. Whether you know it or not, our two empires _do_ have treaties which need to be updated once in a while. Since our representatives haven't been here in years, I felt that I could get some work done with the King while I'm here. I'm not just here to please _you_."

The Prince stopped and was nearly run down by Zarbon who was trailing behind them. "My apologies, Lord Freeza. I did not mean to pry. I simply think that it would be better that my father did not know about our arrangement."

"Oh?"

"My father has antiquated ideals. He believes that the best methods are those of the Saiyajins. He believes that the best technology and best training come from Vejiitasei. He believes there is nothing better out there. While I tend to agree with him on most points, I do realize where the Saiyajin race lags behind. I have much pride in my heritage, yet I believe my people can become something greater if those like my father did not rule. If the King finds out about our arrangement, I believe he will do anything he can to prevent it. He will _not_ let me leave Vejiitasei."

"Are you sure you don't want me to talk to him? I'm sure an arrangement can be…"

"No!" interrupted the Prince. "No…he will not change, and it is best that you not be dragged into this. It is a matter between him and myself. I do this for the advancement of my people and he will realize this in time. Hopefully by the time I take the throne I will have earned his respect."

"Very well."

"I do have one request to make of you, Lord Freeza. I ask that you let me bring my current trainer along with me." Vejiita looked to the powerful alien and saw more explanation was necessary. "Nappa has come to know more of our arrangement than is good for his health. As of now he is not a threat, but could become one if he were to be left to his own accord."

"Why don't you dispose of him?" asked Zarbon who had taken his eyes off the surrounding tapestries long enough to listen in.

"I would have, but I decided that getting rid of him would only add to the problem. When I get a chance to explain the situation thoroughly, he may find that this is for the best. As of right now, however, he is in a state of panic and would start a war between our empires if not suppressed. Since I am the only one capable of this on Vejiitasei, I felt it was best that he come along. Besides, when I'm not in training under your staff, I can practice on him. He's proven very durable in the past and would be adequate as a sparring partner…heh…at least for a while."

Freeza thought for a moment. "Very well, boy. You may bring him. We have adequate space on my ship to take you both. Hopefully we have enough food…" Vejiita blinked. "Oh, don't worry so much, Prince Vejiita," Freeza chuckled. "You are still wanting to leave tomorrow night I presume?"

"Yes. We will leave as scheduled." The three continued on to the diplomatic quarters where Freeza and Zarbon would be staying. As they reached the entrance to the hall, Vejiita turned on his heel and bid them a good evening before walking back to his own wing of the palace.

*******

"Those two are more alike than they realize, Zarbon. It's a shame that they don't get along," stated Freeza wistfully.

"Huh?" Zarbon asked, eyes intensely studying the décor in the hallway.

"Just go to sleep, Zarbon. We have a big day tomorrow…a very big day."

*******


	5. Restlessness...

Chapter 5

Vejiita paced in his quarters. It was unlike him to suffer insomnia, but recent events had definitely caused him to act anything but normal. Glancing up at the clock, Vejiita scowled as he realized only 3 minutes had passed since he last checked the time. "This is ridiculous…" The Prince swept the sheets off his bed into a pile on the floor and sat cross-legged upon them. With an exasperated sigh, Vejiita closed his eyes and attempted to meditate. Though many of the low-class soldiers thought the practice pointless and a waste of time, he found meditation quite useful in focusing his energy as well as calming his nerves. His second trainer had taught him the skill when he was very young, around the age of four, following the inadvertent death of his _first_ trainer.

He had been alone practicing katas on the palace grounds when the woman came up from behind and swept his feet from under him. In a surprised panic, Vejiita turned, placed both palms in front of him and fired at his attacker in self-defense as he fell to the ground. While the ki blast was not very strong in itself, his trainer was not ready for it and hadn't attempted to block, letting the beam poke itself a fist-sized hole through her abdomen.

As she lay on the ground, laughing at her own predicament, the Prince watched in horror. He rushed over to his trainer and tried to help her up and take her to the infirmary. But the woman refused, saying that this would probably be one of the best lessons she could teach him. The dying woman asked him if he liked how he was feeling, to which Vejiita shook his head 'no'. In response, she told him that the reason he felt that way was because he thought her injuries were his own fault. He lowered his head in shame as she explained that it was instead _her_ fault that the incident occurred. She had not fulfilled her duty as a trainer and had ambushed him without first teaching him the appropriate defense maneuvers, ki control, or, most importantly, awareness of one's surroundings. His next trainer would surely learn from her mistakes and teach him to control his power properly.

With a steely look of determination on her face, she propped herself up and grabbed the Prince by the wrist, causing him to look at her in shock. She explained calmly that he had reacted purely on instinct, as tears began welling up in the Prince's eyes. He had been sure that his father would _never _let him have another trainer after breaking this one. Then to his surprise, she placed his hand against her chest and glared at him.

"It is your duty, my Prince." As he tried to pull away from her grasp, she growled and flared what ki she had left into a full battle aura. "Though I am your trainer, I am also your servant and have _not_ fulfilled my obligations! It is _your_ duty as Crown Prince of Vejiitasei to finish what you have started! If I were an enemy, you would be dead by now! You cannot save me, Vejiita! Even if I _were_ to survive my injuries, your father would have me killed for negligence in my responsibilities as your trainer!" she spat. The Prince stopped trying to pull away, as he realized she was right. His father did not accept anything less than perfect obedience from his servants. Calming slightly, the woman let go of his wrist. "It is your duty as a member of the Saiyajin race to kill me, Vejiita. Do not _prove_ your weakness by being a coward."

At the memory, Vejiita felt himself grow even more tense. Meditation was not helping tonight. Standing up, the young man stretched. He was under too much stress lately. He needed to release some of this tension before he killed something he actually valued. As he began to walk over to the communication screen, Vejiita scowled. "So much for prodding Nappa into a late-night sparring session…" Unsure what to do with his pent-up energy, the young Saiyajin went over to his closet, found his most stain-resistant battlesuit, and shrugged it on. "Maybe one final hunt before I head off in that godforsaken ship will do me some good." Checking that his guards were once again sleeping on the job, the Prince silently opened one of the large windows to his quarters and slipped into the dark night.

*******

Zarbon grinned. This young Saiyajin that they would be acquiring had promise. The cocky little monkey wasn't much to look at, but he was powerful. He would thoroughly enjoy wiping the arrogant smirk off the boy's face and replace it with a more _demure_ expression. Yes, the Prince would learn respect. Vejiita would learn it or he would die.

The timepiece on the wall informed the blue-skinned alien that he should be sleeping if he ever wanted to get up and get some work done before Freeza awoke. Zarbon stirred, unable to get comfortable in the large bed provided him. He was too used to the Spartan, austere barracks in which he usually lodged. The soft sheets, the pillows, the air in the room with its fragrant warmth…it was maddening. "You would think that _Saiyajins_ of all people would know how to accommodate a warrior such as myself," Zarbon mused. "If _this_ is how the runt lives, no wonder he wants off his planet so badly."

Truly, the Saiyajins were not entirely savage as he once thought. They had few skills of their own other than fighting, it was sure, but it seemed that they _did_ have considerable taste. Strolling through the halls of Vejiitasei's royal palace, Zarbon had observed hundreds of renowned works of art, spanning millennia and galaxies. He had wondered briefly if he had stepped into a grand museum rather than the home of a tenuous ally.

Zarbon sighed and rested his hands behind his head, staring at the ceiling. 'Heh. They can't even leave _that_ alone,' he thought as he observed the ornate gold carvings depicting great Saiyajin battles on the starlit tiles above him. "This is insane." Zarbon sat up and threw the large comforter onto the floor in disgust. "I am never going to get any sleep this way. I need to go read or something…oh, wait…the Saiyajin's _don't_ read, _do_ they? Of _course_ they don't. Damned monkey-brained little...**MONKEYS**…**GAH**!" Zarbon took a deep breath and tried to calm himself. "Get a hold of yourself, Zarbon. You're just tired from all the travel and being stuck on this orange mudball which makes absolutely _everything_ you have clash, not to mention what the atmosphere is doing to your skin…"

Getting out of bed, Zarbon headed to the bathing chambers. "Maybe a hot bath would do me some good." As he entered the large room, he took a moment to study his features in the mirror before him. He was getting old. It wouldn't be too much longer before Zarbon would be beyond his fighting prime. The alien shivered with the thought. Those who were not in top condition were of little use in Freeza's forces. "Little use" meant death for most of his servants. However, Zarbon had some extra job security. He had been Freeza's right-hand man for nearly 20 years. Most observers thought him little more than Freeza's slave or pet...some even thought him to be Freeza's mistress…but Zarbon was more than that. His duties ranged from menial tasks, such as breaking the fingers of overly greedy planet officials, to the most important and classified of operations. Yes, he would still be important. Zarbon grinned as he removed the twine holding his hair in place and combed his fingers through the long green locks. "Hmm…maybe I should get a trim."

"Looks fine to me."

Zarbon spun around and gasped in surprise. "What the _hell_ are you doing here?! Get out _immediately_!"

The young Saiyajin female took a reserved stance and bowed deeply, keeping her eyes to the floor. "I meant no disrespect, sir. Your master, Freeza, had the King send for me. He seems to believe that you are not taking kindly to your accommodations. I am here to relax you, sir. You need your rest."

"Well you're doing a pretty _poor_ job of relaxing me at the moment!" Zarbon snapped, one hand brushing wayward strands of hair out of his face, the other holding up the loose towel he had only _just_ put around himself. He scrutinized the female. The girl couldn't be much older than the Prince. Maybe sixteen at most. She had a strange air about her. She didn't look Saiyajin. Yes, she had the typical, unruly, dark spikes that the little monkeys claimed as hair. Yes, she had the small, furry tail that was wrapped firmly around her waist, as did most Saiyajins. But her dress was definitely _not_ Saiyajin. The fact that she was _in_ a dress was not Saiyajin. The long, royal blue garment trimmed in golden embroidery shimmered in the dim room, and her hair was adorned with matching beads and ribbon. This was not the attire of a _warrior_. And she didn't _act_ Saiyajin…too respectful. What exactly was he looking at?

The girl merely stood there, silently, hands crossed in front of her and head bowed as if waiting for orders or rebuke. Zarbon calmed himself and walked over towards the girl, curiously. Reaching out with a hand, he lifted the girl's face to meet his gaze. He felt a slight tremor from her, but she was doing well at hiding her trepidation. The girl's cool, black eyes bore right into his, masking her fear with an expression of challenge. In _this_, at least, she seemed Saiyajin enough.

"What is your name, girl?"

"Chimmoku, sir." Zarbon gently turned the female's head to the side, looking for the mark of a slave. From what Zarbon had heard about Saiyajins, it seemed highly unlikely that they would force one of their own into a life of slavery..._especially_ not a female. From the records, only about twenty percent of the population of Vejiitasei consisted of females, and even _these_ lived as warriors. On a planet so male-dominant, one would think that a girl such as this would be prized as a valuable commodity. Perhaps she was…

"Girl, you say that you were sent by the King himself, did you not?"

"Yes, sir."

"But you are _not_ a slave, are you? I find no such mark upon you," observed the alien as he released her. Taking a step back, the tall man once more glanced over her curiously before crossing his arms, awaiting an explanation.

The girl did not back down from his observations, yet stood confident before him, watching him almost as curiously as he was watching her. "You are correct, sir. I am not a slave. I am one of the chosen," she stated, almost matter-of-factly.

"The 'chosen'? What exactly does that mean, girl?" queried Zarbon.

Chimmoku opened the top two clasps of her dress to reveal a small insignia on her collarbone. Zarbon bent down to inspect the mark more closely. Into the girl's skin was…_branded_…the trident-shaped mark of the House of Vejiitasei. Confused, he once again stood up and looked to her for some clarification. "Are you some kind of royalty, then?"

Fastening her dress, Chimmoku brushed her hands down the garment and looked back to the tall alien. "I am not royalty, sir, and neither am I a slave of the royal family. I was chosen at an early age to come to the palace and provide my services for them. I am here of my own accord. It is a great honor to serve my master and King."

"Your 'services'? So, you are part of the royal harem, then…"

"Not exactly, my lord. While my duties may consist of that when the Prince has come of age, my current duties do not. I provide general assistance to the royalty and whatever else that may be required of me. I have been trained in various skills, and have even been sparring partner to the Heir on occasion."

"Then you are one of the boy's…_playthings_," Zarbon presumed with a hint of disgust. The girl bowed her head and looked at her hands as if her fingers were the most interesting things she had ever seen. Zarbon followed the girl's gaze and saw that her hands were trembling. "Are you alright, Chimmoku?" asked Zarbon with a little concern.

"I'm fine, my lord. I am no longer Prince Vejiita's 'plaything', as you call it. He has far surpassed my skills and strength…heh…a long time ago. There is nobody on Vejiitasei fit to challenge him." Zarbon watched the as the girl seemed to tense at the thought.

"I would think it an 'honor' for one of you Saiyajins to be beaten by a member of the royalty."

"_You would_," muttered Chimmoku. She raised her head, once more challenging Zarbon's curious watch. "It doesn't matter. It was destined. The Prince is the strongest Saiyajin in three millennia. He will surpass your master one day," returned the girl.

Zarbon raised an eyebrow and felt his lips twist unconsciously into a very Saiyajin-like smirk. "We shall see, girl. We shall see."

"Now," continued the girl, resuming her dutiful stance, "how may I be of service to you? Can I prepare you some atsui kocha? Perhaps you would enjoy a relaxing massage?" queried the girl.

Blinking as he was knocked from his trance by the girl's formality, Zarbon suddenly remembered his place…and his state of dress. "Uh," spoke the warrior nervously, "that's quite alright. I was just going to, um, run myself a hot bath and try to get some sleep. You may leave." Zarbon nervously turned away from the Saiyajin, hoping she'd get the hint and at _least_ remove herself from the room. He heard no footsteps, but when he turned back to escort her out, she was gone. "Heh. I guess she lives up to her name."

"What was that, sir?"

"**GAH!" **exclaimed Zarbon as he slipped on the cool tiles and fell on his back. Lying there startled, he glanced over his shoulder and found Chimmoku running a bath.

"You should be more careful, my lord. It is said that most accidents occur in the bathing chambers," commented the girl as she added some fragrant oils to the warm water. Zarbon stared at the ceiling and rubbed his temples. He was not going to be able to get rid of her, he could tell.

"You might want to be more careful of how you tend to your towel as well, my lord. That is, unless you were planning on me washing you, too. Generally, our visitors are a little more…reserved."

Zarbon looked over to Chimmoku confused. "What?"

"I think you must have hit your head pretty hard, sir," she replied with an amused smirk as she pointed to Zarbon's current state of undress. Zarbon's gaze followed her finger and quickly sat up, searching for his towel. Chimmoku snorted in enjoyment as she watched the large warrior scramble for his lost garment.

Zarbon quickly collected himself and stood up, trying to gather together some last shred of dignity. "And here I thought Saiyajins had no sense of humor," he quipped.

"And here I thought all of Freeza's lackeys were whipped. Especially _you_."

Zarbon smirked. "Just because I'm his second-in-command, doesn't mean I'm infallible, Chimmoku."

"Ah, but you _are_ whipped," she goaded.

Zarbon wouldn't be baited so easily. "Perhaps," he conceded.

"Aw, you're no fun. Typical. Freeza's taken all the life out of you.  
Pretty soon he'll take the life from all of us." Chimmoku cast her face back to the water, testing the temperature with her fingertip. "Your bath is ready. If you are needing anything else, I'll be in the main room," she said as she stood to take her leave.

Zarbon watched as the young girl walked out of the bathing chambers, idly wondering if Chimmoku's beliefs had merit or were merely the result of one of the many speculative rumors permeating through the Palace since Freeza's arrival. He sank himself into the relaxing water and closed his eyes, breathing in the fragrant steam of the bath prepared for him, feeling more relaxed than he had in ages. "I've been on this planet too long," he mumbled through a yawn as his thoughts wandered into nothingness.

*******


	6. The Best Laid Plans...

Chapter Six

The King of Vejiitasei grumbled under his breath as he tapped the communications console with a finger, awaiting a response from his son. "Shirking his duties again…arrogant brat." It was getting late, and the Prince had not properly greeted his guests. Freeza and his aide were surely awaiting the arrival of his son to lead them from the diplomat's quarters to the royal dining hall where the two leaders could discuss trade negotiations over the morning meal. "Hmm. I suppose the Commander could fetch them." Aborting the call to his son, the King pressed a new combination into the console, hoping to reach his son's sensei. As he waited for the call to be patched through, the King idly wondered if Vejiita's defiance was an inherited trait from his mother.

"Yes, my King?" The voice that answered was not that of the Commander, and neither was the face.

"Soldier, what are you doing taking Nappa's communiqué? Aren't you supposed to be off-world with your father or something? Where _is_ the Commander, anyway?" questioned the King.

With his eyes nervously downcast, Radditz hastily cleared his throat, "The Commander is…um…in disposed at the moment."

"Warrior, you are testing my patience. It would be in your best interest not to be cryptic. If I have to beat the information out of a second source, I will be very unhappy, so just say it. Is he out reveling or something?" asked the King, boredly. "Spawning another brat?"

Glancing up at his King, Radditz seemed to decide that whatever or whomever it was that he was covering for, his loyalties rested with Vejiita Ou - not to mention the fact that open defiance could result in his untimely and dishonorable death… Standing at attention and with conviction, Radditz looked into the face of the King and quickly blurted, "Nappa was nearly killed by the Prince. He's in the infirmary."

Vejiita mentally groaned. Even though Nappa was a moron at best and a blathering idiot at worst, he was still the most loyal and dedicated of his subjects; diligent in his duties, even if his mouth did tend to run on. "Very well, warrior. I will see to him later." The King turned away from the console, crossing his arms over his chest. "What am I going to do with him?" he muttered to himself. "I guess I cannot really do anything… The brat's going to do whatever the hell he wants to, is he not? It's not like anyone can stop him - heh, and doesn't he _know_ it! I was _never_ so arrogant. Hmph. He believes he can do anything with no consequences…HA! Soon the little brat will learn, eh? Maybe I should have asked Freeza to beat the snot out of him personally. Or maybe his little blue pet…" The King brought his hand up to his forehead, shielding his eyes as he choked back a laugh. "I can see it now: The strongest Saiyajin in the universe beaten to a bloody pulp by that prissy, effeminate alien that's more afraid of beetles and split-ends than of his own demise. If _that_ would not teach him humility, I do not know _what _would. Yes, I think I will have a little word with that Zarbon creature over breakfast." Vejiita grinned as he turned back around to find Radditz staring at him blankly.

"My King?"

"Congratulations, warrior. You've been promoted," he replied to his subject's curious glance. "You are to meet the diplomats from the Kold Empire at their quarters and bring them to the royal dining hall at once. You are dismissed." Before he could be questioned, the King hit the disconnect button, effectively ending the communiqué prior to Radditz seeing the red tint that had begun to stain his cheeks. As he left to head to the dining hall, the King reminded himself to order all communications consoles in the palace upgraded for auto-shutoff so that he would be able to talk to himself in peace.

*******

"Kuso…" groaned the Prince to himself as he clambered back through the window to his quarters. Despite Vejiita's immense strength and natural battle capabilities, he always found the wildlife of Vejiitasei unpredictable and often returned from hunting with scores of new injuries. 'Not that any creature could hurt me and get away with it, however,' thought the young prince as he dragged the remains of a half-eaten doubutsu behind him, leaving a bloody trail in his wake. Not wishing to let his kill go to waste, he ordered his confounded bodyguards, who had only just learned of the Prince's disappearance, to store the remains of the creature so that he might have a snack later.

As the guards lumbered the mass of sinew and jagged bone into a storage container and took it to the palace's refectory kitchen, Vejiita regarded his quarters. "Hmm… I wonder what Freeza's ship is like. I cannot imagine it being much different from any other warship," he mused as he ran his fingers lightly over many artifacts he had acquired over his lifetime on Vejiitasei. An epaulette from the uniform of the first brigadier general of the Saiyajin armed forces, handed down to him from his father's father, Vejiita Ou VIII. The Utsukushii Stone; a part of the royal treasury since the time of the first Vejiita, the stone was given to the firstborn son of the royal family on his naming day and was to bring good fortune and strength for the next generation. The fragment of an ancient chestplate, taken from the body of the first commander to lead his troupes on a successful off-world purge, a glimpse into the storied heritage of the Saiyajin people.

Walking to the small desk in the corner of his room and opening the bottom drawer, he reached in and pulled out the only piece of his history he truly valued. Limp, pale, and thin, aged beyond its years from countless hours of being held and wondered at, even admired, Vejiita stroked the soft fur almost lovingly. "I cannot take you with me," he whispered to the small bundle as if expecting it to whine in protest. "But I cannot have anyone find you, either." Carrying the treasure to his bathing chambers and finding a blade, the Prince carefully cut a segment from the heirloom and placed it into a small storage case, ki-welding it to a thin chain which he wore around his neck under his garments.

Checking that the bodyguards were still away attending to his kill, Vejiita crept back into his bedchambers, the small furry object peeking out from his cradled arms. Walking to the balcony and raising his softly glowing hands, he watched as his most prized possession was engulfed in bright red flames within the crucible of his fingers. The smell of singed hair and charred flesh was enough to make someone of a lower class retch, but Vejiita never flinched from the smell or the pain. He simply watched in a revered silence as the blaze incinerated it, turning it to a stinging ash in his blistered hands. Looking up to gaze over his city, Vejiita turned his hands to the wind, letting it carry the remains to wherever it deemed appropriate.

"Goodbye mother."

*******

"I do believe our host is late, Zarbon," remarked the small alien to his aide. "I suppose it is understandable that such primitives would not be able to tell time properly. It is a wonder they are even coherent."

Zarbon could tell his master was quickly losing his patience. Not that that was anything new. Though Freeza was a master of long, drawn-out mind games, sometimes spanning many years, his patience with insubordination and those he deemed inferior...which was just about everyone...was almost non-existent. Zarbon went to tap his scouter for any sign of an escort.

"By the way...how did you sleep last night, young Zarbon? Well?" asked Freeza with a sly grin. "I do hope the Saiyajin woman was to your liking. I hear Vejiita picked her out himself."

Zarbon could not mistake the innuendo laced in his master's words. Freeza knew that such banter ruffled him, but showing his unease would only prolong the taunting. "She is very well trained in her duties, my lord. I slept like an akambou."

"Well, she must have been _very_ good for you to have already picked up her language. To think, _linking_ yourself to her in a mere evening.... You've been in my service for gods knows how long, and I don't once recall your utterance of _my_ native tongue," the pale alien quipped.

"I apologize, Lord Freeza. I am versed in many languages, including your own. It is something I research prior to missions. However, I was never able to master the enunciation of your particular dialect, and I did not want to offend." Zarbon was never quite sure when Freeza was simply enjoying friendly banter or when he was seriously miffed. The alien's cool features rarely betrayed his true feelings. Zarbon oft times felt it was a saving grace that he was able to come up with eloquent recantations whenever necessary...no matter if they were warranted or not. Better to humble oneself for nothing than to _be_ nothing.

"I see. Well, I do suppose it is difficult for one who was not brought up with it." The alien tilted his head in the direction of Zarbon's scouter. "Picking up anything yet?"

"There seems to be some miscommunication among the ranks," stated Zarbon, turning his head down the hallway as he stared through the lens. "Looks like there might be a fight…" As Freeza angled his neck to glance down the hall, a great explosion sounded in the distance, followed by a nearing stream of guttural curses as a large smoking body flew towards them.

"Oh my."

The tall Saiyajin hefted himself off the ground with as much dignity as he could muster, his long hair left smoldering in the wake of whatever had befallen him in his encounter down the corridor. Zarbon watched as the scouter fed him readings consistent with a low-ranking warrior. "I'm guessing the palace guards were less than happy about this creature's clearance. It appears we're down to a last-resort."

"Better than nothing, I suppose," Freeza mused. Smiling, he turned to the large Saiyajin who had tried to make himself as presentable as possible, taking special care to douse the remnants of tiny embers in his spiky hair. "Warrior, state your name and purpose."

Blinking, the startled soldier stammered out after some seemingly endless minutes, "Radditz, son of Bardock. I'm here to escort you to the royal dining hall on orders of his highness, Vejiita Ou."

"Ah yes, your father is making quite a name for himself, young Radditz. I can see that you are also quickly moving up the ranks. From what my aide tells me, your comrades are not taking well to your current status."

Turning up his nose in derision, Radditz snorted. "Hmph, those bakayaro… Just jealous that I have an important job while they're going to spend the rest of their lives standing next to doors barely able to stay awake." The Saiyajin stood there gritting his teeth in a feral snarl aimed down the hallway to his distant attackers. "Out of line morons…I have orders from the KING!" he shouted at them, his hands balled into fists, ignorant of his audience.

"Zarbon, do calm the boy down," Freeza remarked to his assistant with a smirk.

"Gladly, my lord." Flaring his ki, Zarbon watched in amusement as Radditz's scouter blew up over his face. Wincing slightly and blinking the smoke from his eyes, Radditz glared at the tall blue alien a moment before remembering who the dignitaries _were_ and his duty to them. "Soldier, I believe you have a job to do that _doesn't_ involve a midmorning brawl with your superiors. I suggest you get to it before _I_ finish what they started."

Audibly swallowing, Radditz hastily bowed before them, "M-my apologies, my lords. P-please, this way." Turning on his heel, he started walking back from where he came, not even waiting for them to follow.

"I do believe you frightened the poor lad, Mr. Zarbon. Good work. Now let's get going before the soldier meets up with his friends again. I'd hate to have to personally break them apart. We've wasted enough time as it is and I'm famished. Saiyajin food is some of the best in the universe, you know."

"With how I've heard they eat, it's a miracle there _is_ any food on this misbegotten mudball," mumbled Zarbon as he followed his liege through the corridor.

*******

Reaching the royal dining hall, Radditz moved aside and bowed to let the foreign dignitaries pass. "Representatives from the Kold Empire: Lords Freeza and Zarbon, my King." Glancing up from his revered stance, he watched as the pale aliens moved across the room to sit at the large table in the center. As Vejiita Ou took his own seat, Radditz went to take his leave, hoping to return to his post in Nappa's quarters before the Prince returned from wherever he was and thought him to be disregarding his new job as the Commander's nursemaid.

"Son of Bardock, come join us, will you?" queried a deep voice from behind him. Turning, he saw Freeza nod to him with a small smile; the King rising from his seat and motioning him over to the table. "After all, you have performed your duties far better than that brat of mine. Come, then, and take his place." Dumbfounded, Radditz questioningly pointed to himself. "Yes, you, Radditz. Freeza wishes it. He tells me you performed your task admirably."

"S-sir, I would be honored…b-but I was ordered by the P-Prince to watch over Nappa and I…" Stammering before greatness. Wonderful. If it wasn't bad enough being entrusted with duties far above his station, he had to be rewarded for them as well. Things were so much easier off-world. At least there he was just expected to blow things up. That he could do. This diplomacy crap was beyond him. And now every single elite was going to be on him, daring him to fail…and most likely trying to make him do so.

"Nonsense. If my son has a problem with your sharing the morning meal with us, then he can take it up with me personally. Now, come sit." As Radditz walked over to the table, Vejiita Ou guided him around to the Prince's seat at the King's immediate right. Hesitantly sitting down in the surprisingly comfortable chair, Radditz made note of his surroundings, sure that this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. The servants busied themselves with the preparation and presentation of the meal and various high-ranking officials and dignitaries from the four corners of Vejiitasei were talking amongst themselves, an occasional scrutinizing glare cast in his direction. Taking it all in, Radditz nearly missed the King addressing him. "Tell me, young Radditz. Why has my son deemed _you_ to be the Commander's babysitter?"

Breaking his gaze from the splendors around him, he turned to face the proud, regal leader. "He thought I would be able to teach the Commander some manners. I guess his injuries were in large part due to impertinence."

"My son…thinks _Nappa_ has no manners?" the King snorted in amusement. "Surely you are joking! That brat of mine is the one who needs to learn etiquette. Freeza, are you hearing this? The hypocrisy of it all." Radditz stared blankly at his king, who was at this point laughing uproariously along with a good portion of the dignitaries in attendance. Radditz glanced briefly in the direction of Freeza and his aide. While his tall assistant seemed ignorant of the clamor about them, greedily gorging himself on a red gelatin concoction, Freeza merely sat with a relaxed smile on his face…gradually forming into an amused smirk as his eyes drifted to meet Radditz's stare. Radditz felt his stomach turn at the tyrant's leer and quickly looked away, only to find the gaze of a seething Prince upon him from the room's entrance.

"Kuso…."

*******

"Ah, it's about time you joined us, brat!" chuckled the King. "I was beginning to think you weren't going to show. I hope you do not mind, but we have guests this morning." His father motioned at the place to his right – HIS place. Glaring at its current occupant, Vejiita felt a small twinge of amusement at the look on Radditz's features. He considered keeping his burning gaze on Bardock's son to see if the man would indeed wet himself, but thought better of it, reminding himself that it was surely not the warrior's _personal_ desire to be in his current predicament. No, this was definitely his father's doing. The brief mirth at Radditz's fear quickly drained from Vejiita's face to be replaced by contempt and loathing.

"You'll have to pull up a chair, my boy," mocked the King with a wry grin. "There doesn't appear to be any more room for you." By now, the other occupants of the dining hall had quieted and were watching the Prince warily. They were not stupid. Vejiita's temper tantrums did not often leave witnesses. But as the Heir prepared to deliver a scathing retort, he felt his breath leave him as if he had been struck in the back. Wincing slightly as he struggled to return the air to his lungs, he looked around his person. Finding no assailant with a deathwish about him, he glanced in the direction of the alien dignitaries. The ever-oblivious Zarbon was stuffing his face, but his master, the smaller creature…Freeza…was staring at him with a wide grin.

'He did not even leave his seat. Shimatta. He…he did not even _touch_ me,' thought the stunned Prince. A sudden movement from the corner of his vision caught Vejiita's attention. A very blue-faced Radditz had left the spot to the right of his father and was now genuflect before him, stammering incoherently. Vejiita could feel the corners of his mouth twist into an incensed sneer; his eyebrows lower into an even deeper scowl. Unbidden, the Prince felt a great abhorrence to the man well up inside him. Glaring at his father, Vejiita spoke tersely to Bardock's son, ordering him back to the Commander's quarters. When Radditz did not immediately turn tail and run, the Prince barked at him for an explanation.

"I-I must apologize, my Prince. His Highness, Vejiita Ou, insisted I stay for the morning meal and has not yet dismissed me to return to my duties under you."

Chuckling heartily, the King stared right back at Vejiita. "Do be a bit kinder to my guests, brat. There will be plenty of time for him to cower at your feet later. As for now, I suggest you get used to him. You shall be accompanying him on a little trip, after all."

Vejiita visibly paled, yet never dropped his stern countenance as his eyes darted towards Freeza. 'What is could my father be _thinking_?! He cannot send me on some moronic errand now! I do not have time for his little mind games, either! Freeza will surely have my tail if there are any more delays…Kuso, I cannot do this _now_!' the Prince thought frantically to himself. Taking a moment to steady his voice before he stammered like the commoner still on bended knee, he glanced once more to the alien tyrant, trying to piece out his current mood. Finding no emotion other than slight amusement in the alien's cold grin, he decided to play it by ear.

"Trip?"

"Why, yes. You remember yesterday, ne? When you met Lord Freeza and…" he queried with an amused snort as he glanced over to the dignitaries and found Freeza's aide to be poking at the centerpiece with a knife, "…Lord Zarbon?"

"Sir!" exclaimed a startled and flushed Zarbon, springing to attention as he kept peering over to the table.

"Zarbon," Freeza softly chided. "Please pay attention."

The tall alien blushed deeper and lowered his voice, "But it _bit_ me, sir."

"It is Saiyajin, young Zarbon. These things happen. You must always be on your guard," stated Freeza, trying to keep his laughter at bay, "even at meals."

"Yes…Anyway, brat," the King continued, "You have been slacking off, as I'm sure you are aware. I will not have the Heir to MY throne unprepared, let alone boorish and uncouth."

Vejiita stared, slack-jawed, at his father. He was being publicly ridiculed? In front of _peasants_, no less?! He was more civilized than three-quarters of all of Vejiitasei! Well…more like seven-eighths… How DARE he be insulted like this?! Vejiita could feel a small tremor and a low rumble surround him and briefly wondered if there was supposed to be any seismic activity forecast for the area. Finally realizing that _he_ was the source of both phenomena, as his vision had started to blur from the haze of his own ki charging, Vejiita consciously made an effort to calm himself before the palace fell down around him.

Apparently quite aware of Vejiita's distress at the insult, the King resumed his speech with a mocking smirk plastered on his face. "Therefore, I am sending you on a sort of training mission. You are to accompany young Radditz here and learn from his example. He is now in charge of revising and finalizing the trade agreement between the Kold and Saiyajin Empires."

Vejiita glared daggers at the wide-eyed, trembling mass of hair before him. As if sensing his Prince's gaze upon him, the son of Bardock dared a glance up only to be met with a feral snarl. "How am I supposed to learn anything from this…this…TRASH?!" Vejiita spat vehemently. "And why am I accompanying _him_?! He's nothing but the bastard son of a third-class WEAKLING! I am Vejiita no Ouji, Heir to the Saiyajin Empire! He should be licking my boots! He - "

The Prince was abruptly cut off from his enraged tirade by a light blue fist connecting squarely with his face. Blinking rapidly as he attempted to regain his senses that seemed to have been knocked into the next light year, Vejiita looked up to see the tall lanky alien, Zarbon, smiling mirthfully down at him.

"Thank you, Mister Zarbon." Vejiita winced as he shook his head, trying to clear his vision of spots as his father continued. "As I was saying before you so rudely interrupted me, brat, you shall be accompanying Radditz. Even with all the duties placed upon him of late, he still managed to take over yours as well. I figure that since you refuse to take it upon yourself to learn anything about the ways of office from _me_, perhaps you would be able to learn them from your _subject_ who performs them much more admirably than you. Or," asked the King with a contemptuous grin, "is my son not up to the challenge of managing an Empire? I have no qualms in promoting Bardock's son to Heir and discontinuing the royal line if you are too _weak_ to perform the task. After all, I am Vejiita no Ou, brat, and my ties to the Empire are more important than my ties to you."

The Prince looked back down to Radditz who seemed absolutely mortified. The man was just a pawn, Vejiita knew, yet he still resented the warrior as he cowered before him. The Empire had negotiators for the duties he was sure Radditz had only just learned he had been assigned. Taking a deep breath through his nose, Vejiita calmed. It did not matter the reasons for this latest battle of wills. The Prince now had a viable excuse for leaving the planet with Freeza, which admittedly, he was having a difficult time finding. He had thought of just leaving without saying a word to anyone, but then he was sure his father would send squadrons out hunting for him, potentially causing a rift in the tenuous nature of the Kold-Saiyajin alliance.

Mentally grinning at the irony and timing of the situation, the Prince shelved his amusement for the time being. His father's assessment of their bond to each other was indeed accurate. Both served their Empire, first and foremost. The King would win this battle, but soon, Vejiita would win the war.

It was for the good of his people.

Sensing his son's acquiescence, the King grinned and continued. "Having never been off the planet, I assume you are unaccustomed with the culture of Freeza's people. Lord Zarbon has informed me that he shall be the one to give you a crash course. Young Radditz might be able to teach you a few things in that department as well, as he has had much experience with off-worlders. Granted, he blew most of them up, but I'm sure he has retained _something _in all of his travels." At the Prince's snort, he added, "Might be nice if you knew how to read the language as well, ne?"

That did it. His patience had worn thin long ago. "I can read the language just FINE, onore! I did not inherit _your_ stupidity!" Vejiita spat.

"You see what I have to put up with?" his father addressed the alien visitors. "Completely out of line."

Dimly aware of others in the room and loath to prove his father right in regards to his level of civility with another verbal tirade for all to see, the Prince glowered, hurling telepathic expletives at the King's unyielding mental blockade.

*******


	7. Preparations

Chapter Seven

A wet, stomping, snarling Elite trounced his way through the corridors of Vejiitasei's Royal Palace. Clad in the minimal of clothing, Nappa's eyes searched the dim halls, sniffing the air on occasion for any signs of a certain residing member. "WHERE ARE YOU, BRAT?!"

Having just blasted his way out of the regeneration tank meant to heal the wounds suffered by the Prince's ever-so-gentle touch, Nappa immediately donned just enough for decency and went stalking after his young charge. Mumbling under his breath about disrespectful ingrates as he tromped about the echoing passageways, Nappa suddenly stopped in his tracks. Freeza. In his rage over the condition he was left in…and was actually still hurting from, adrenaline having taken over his system, further clouding his already clouded judgment and encouraging his too-early "release" from the medical ward…Nappa had forgotten about what he supposed was the _real_ reason for his infirmary stay. Freeza was in the Capitol. Nappa figured that if he had taken the time to affix a scouter to his face, he would probably find that the great horned lizard was in the Palace itself. "Considering it isn't a pile of cinders by now…"

Regaining his composure and assessing his barely-healed injuries, Nappa decided his best course of action was to head back to his quarters. He didn't exactly want to meet the tyrant in nothing but briefs. He could 'discuss' the situation with Vejiita at a later time. Preferably over breakfast. "Or maybe dinner…" noted the massive warrior as he checked a timepiece in the hallway. Either way, he was starving. But that wasn't really unusual. Coming out of a tank halfway healed tended to do that to a Saiyajin. At the thought, Nappa snarled as he entered his darkened quarters. He wouldn't have been in a tank in the first place if the brat hadn't caught him off guard. Not a shred of respect or decency in the boy. Maybe Freeza was there to cart him off and teach him to put that treachery to good use. "Yeah, right. Vejiitasei isn't that lucky. For all I know, ol' Lizard Lips is here on vacation."

Wandering past all of his personal affects on the way to his bathing chambers, Nappa groaned as he stretched out his cramped muscles. Not bothering to turn on the lights, as he had lived in these quarters for years and knew the layout by heart, Nappa was more than shocked to trip over something in the darkened room. Knowing he wasn't so injured to have forgotten where he was, and not in the mood for games, he bellowed, "LIGHTS!"

"Welcome back, Commander," spoke an oddly familiar voice from behind him. "I was wondering when you'd show up. The Prince did have you figured as healed by today, though I admit I was reluctant to believe him. I guess he knows your recovery skills best, seeing as how he's put you in a tank more than anyone."

Nappa craned his neck around to look towards the voice and growled softly when he found the source. Bardock's brat. The first one, anyway. They were still waiting for the General's other piece of low-class trash to send the retrieval signal following a successful purge. A purge that should have been completed 5 years ago. Perhaps the spawn was so weak, he was killed by the mindless natives, skinned, and eaten… "Damn, I'm hungry…"

Getting up and brushing past the pile of hair, Nappa decided to forgo his shower and concentrate on satiating his ravenous appetite. As he removed mountains of food from the huge cooler in his otherwise sparse kitchen, Nappa kept an ear tuned to the movements of the intruding houseguest.

"I bet you'd like to know what I'm doing here, wouldn't you Commander?" spoke Radditz in a low tone.

"Drm strt, yusnufabtch!" replied Nappa between mouthfuls.

"Well, that looks like a good place to start," mused the hairball. "I met up with your charge as he was hauling your ass to the infirmary. I am here to teach you your place. It appears that your impertinence is half the reason you were beaten to a pulp, and…don't look at me like that!"

Nappa was livid. "MY PLACE?! WHO ARE YOU TO TEACH ME MY PLACE?! YOU ARE NOTHING BUT A PIECE OF LOW-LEVEL SCUM NOT WORTHY ENOUGH TO LICK MY FEET! YOU -- " His rant was cut short by a fit of harsh coughing. While he could move, and his bones were mended, it seemed as though he really could have used some extra time in the regen tanks. He probably had internal injuries he didn't even think about, so great was his anger at the boy. Pulling back his hand from his mouth, he indeed saw flecks of blood spattered upon the skin. Something wasn't healed yet, that was for certain. He'd do a mental assessment later. Right now he was too tired and hungry. Calming down so he could breathe more easily, he sat down at a small table and resumed his meal, nodding to Radditz to continue.

"Like I said, I'm here to teach you your place, NOT to put you in it, baka. I'm not strong enough for that and we both know it. It seems that your manners leave much to be desired. You speak out of turn, you assume authority where you have none, and you…you talk with your mouth full," he commented with a look of disgust as he watched the larger Saiyajin dine.

"Preaching to ME about authority…I should have you ki-fried for that. I doubt the smell of burning hair would ever come out of the upholstery, though," jeered the burly Elite.

"Be that as it may, Prince Vejiita gave me orders. You're stuck with me whether you like it or not, so I suggest you learn to deal with it."

"How long?"

"What?"

"What do you mean, 'what'? How LONG am I STUCK with you, you mangy weakling? Hmph. I'd rather bathe in my own vomit than breathe the same foul air as you mongrel abominations."

"I don't have mange…"

"Answer the question!"

"You are stuck with me for however long the Prince says you are. Got it?!" boomed the irritated Saiyajin. "Just my luck, that might be forever. The King has assigned me to act as Vejiita's tutor in _diplomacy_ of all things. Can't imagine why he'd need to learn that. Personally, I'd rather just see him beat your meaty face in once in a while to get what he wants, but I guess that sort of diplomacy wouldn't set well with foreign dignitaries. We're leaving for the Kold Empire tonight."

"So Freeza _has_ come to take him away…"

"Yes, and I'm getting a headache listening to your whirring brain make a pathetic attempt at thinking! Shut up, eat, and FOR GOD'S SAKE WIPE UP YOUR DROOL!" Turning angrily on his heel, Radditz made his way into the living area of Nappa's quarters.

His vision turning a murderous red, Nappa fixed his glare to the other Saiyajin's back as he ripped off a large chunk of meat from the bone of a random native beast and chewed it mercilessly.

*******

Vejiita Ouji sat quietly on his bed, staring towards his window, still as a statue. One would have thought him such if they didn't notice a soft sound emanating from the Prince's chest. A soothing purr, some would call it, but this sound was not one of contentment. The innocuous sound belied its true meaning…Vejiita was nervous, perhaps more. He could not quite put a finger on what he was feeling, but he knew he had not felt this way or had heard the shuddering, low rumble since before his naming day. Scant hours remained before Vejiita was supposed to leave the planet, and as the time ticked away, the Prince was finding that he was not yet ready to do so.

It was not that Vejiita was worried about his duties to his people. He wasn't even worried about becoming homesick. It was more that he had some things to take care of before he left, and he did not like leaving situations unresolved. His father's public humiliation was weighing heavily on the Prince's mind, and like all true Saiyajins, his thirst for vengeance was becoming nearly debilitating. But no…he could not give in to the temptation and kill the King for the injustice. If he did that now, then Vejiita would have to take the throne much earlier than he would have liked. In effect, he would be stuck on the planet permanently, never to achieve his goal, as the weight of the bureaucracy would prohibit the advancement of his skills as a warrior. If he ever wanted to become the Super Saiyajin of legend, he could not – WOULD not – become King. So instead, he would suck up his pride, if only for his father, and take the verbal beatings as they came.

It was not yet dark outside, and the Prince considered meditating on the veranda of his quarters to help him sort out his jumbled thoughts. Taking a deep breath, Vejiita got up from his bed, dragging the large comforter behind him as he walked to the large doors that led to the balcony. Raising the latch, he shoved the bedcover through ahead of him with his foot, making a messy pile on the cool floor. Sitting haphazardly upon his makeshift nest of thick cloth, Vejiita closed his eyes, letting the warm Vejiitasei winds soothe his soul.

It was finally happening. After months of nervous anticipation and scheming, he would be leaving the planet. He had dreamed about roaming amongst the stars since he was very small. Vejiita was fond of his homeworld, as were all planet-bound Saiyajins, and quite proud to be who he was, regardless of his class and status. Even the slaves on Vejiitasei carried a certain pride in their daily activities. He had felt the pull of the cosmos on his heart, however. The boasting stories from the off-world troops as well as the tales spun by his mother when he was a mere whelp sparked his interest in space exploration, and that spark soon grew into a flame. He would stand with his father and watch the infants as they were launched into that inky black void, full of longing to go along with them and fight side-by-side, taking over countless worlds in the name of the Saiyajin Empire.

Unable to suppress a grin at the thought of finally getting his chance to prove his worth to that bakayaro of a father he had, Vejiita opened his eyes and took one more brief look over his kingdom. He would be the greatest warrior and king in Vejiitasei's history. He was sure of it. He absently clutched at the pendant lying against his chest. "I will be better than him, I swear on my honor."

*******

Apparently, Nappa had never packed for extended journeys off-world, Radditz surmised. At least not for a long time. He supposed that might have something to do with the fact that the Prince had never been off the planet. Watching as the burly alien tried to push a month's worth of clothing into a knapsack the size of his meaty head, Radditz had to sigh. 'He must be an awfully good sparring partner for Prince Vejiita to keep him around. I don't think I've ever met a bigger idiot,' Radditz thought.

"HOW THE HELL AM I SUPPOSED TO DO THIS?!" raved Nappa, with a rough toss of some standard-issue boots into a corner of the room.

"Ever consider getting a larger pack? Or, you know, not bringing your entire wardrobe along?" retorted Radditz. He really was getting tired of the bigger man's temper tantrums. 'Must be something he picked up from the Prince… or vice versa. Feh, Elites.' Threatening Radditz with a mean-looking pair of black briefs, Nappa turned his frustration on the man.

"Don't you even start with me, warrior! I've had it up to here with your nagging!" the larger Saiyajin warned, emphasizing the limits of his patience with the undergarment waving near his eyes. Radditz just sighed and went back to his own packing – not that there was much to do. He had already gathered his essential belongings together when he was given the order to educate the rough Saiyajin commander; and with Elites like him, only a direct intervention would do.

"Just hurry the hell up, Commander. We're to meet up with Lord Freeza's party at the eastern dock in an hour. I'm not going to be the one to explain that you're late because you can't seem to find room in your bag for your underwear." Radditz thought it was amusing, himself, and had a hard time holding back a mocking grin. He really did not want to be late, though. Not after what he had witnessed from the aliens at the bizarre breakfast…

*******

The three Saiyajin males stood at the docking bay looking at Freeza's ship with various expressions on their faces. The little prince was alight with anticipation, while the big meathead that served as his guard looked irritated. The one with the hair seemed to have forgotten his earlier fright and just looked bored.

"Gentlemen, welcome to your home for the next three months," greeted Zarbon as he ushered the trio up the ramp with a grin. "I do hope the amenities are not too austere for your lavish tastes." The arrogant prince sniffed the air at the comment, pushing past the large men flanking him and heading into the ship.

"You'll have to excuse him, Lord Zarbon," replied the taller one with a fist over his chest, slightly bowing at the waist. "He's looking forward to Lord Freeza's famed training facilities." Radditz. That was the man's name. Well, this one had some manners, at least. He wasn't sure how he'd deal with being stuck with only the brat and his bald guardian for any length of time while the ship slowly made its way back to Kold space. Maybe he and Radditz could share grooming tips.

"It is of no matter, warrior. I will show you to your quarters. Come." Fleet-footed, the two followed him around the corridors of the circular vessel until they came to a door looking the same as every other on the ship. With a touch to the panel on the side of the frame, the bulkhead swiftly pulled back into the walls, revealing a Spartan room with a small bathing chamber, bed, and locker. "I apologize that we can't provide more at this time but warrior barracks. We were not expecting the three of you and our capacity is a bit limited. We should be hitting Uzani-4 within a month where a good portion of our onboard troops are being deployed. That should open up more… cozy accommodations."

The broad Commander frowned and brushed past Radditz, entering the proffered room and slammed his fist on the inner panel to shut it, effectively blocking them out. "It looks like that one's occupied. Radditz, your housing is across the hall. Prince Vejiita will be opposite yours around the bend," said Zarbon as he pointed towards the far end of the ship. "He is closest to the training facilities and training starts daily at 05:00 sharp. Do be sure he is prepared." Radditz gave him a puzzled stare, but bowed courteously before retreating to his own room with a muttered farewell. Not sure what the Saiyajin's problem was, Zarbon shrugged and tapped the side of his scouter, homing in on Vejiita's ki signature and indeed found him, shadow-boxing in a corner of one of the weight rooms. He grinned to himself. Yes, this one had promise.

*******


End file.
